


Gotham Community: A World of Pain

by FancyProfessor



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: College AU, F/F, M/M, Murder, TW: Domestic Abuse, dark as time though...., edward deals with trauma, harley and joker are a past relationship, some parts are fluffy, tw: gaslighting, tw: verbal abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:35:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25350994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FancyProfessor/pseuds/FancyProfessor
Summary: Edward Nygma went to college not because he had to but because he had to. To prove to everyone he was just as good at he said he was. And to hopefully gain some acceptance for himself along the way.This is the story of Edward Nygma before and during his emergence of the Riddler persona, set at Gotham Community, showing just how far some can be pushed before they snap. And just how much good friends can mend.
Relationships: Joker (DCU)/Harleen Quinzel, Jonathan Crane/Edward Nygma, Oswald Cobblepot/Edward Nygma, Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel
Kudos: 4





	Gotham Community: A World of Pain

Edward was not a morning person. He wasn’t exactly a night person either. Or even really a people person. But he needed people in some sort of way that he had yet to figure out, and wouldn’t figure out for many years, so he considered himself to be a people person. That being said he was still not a morning person and as such it didn’t matter who was waking him up, if it was before noon he wasn’t going to be going anywhere. Especially on a Saturday. Or was it a Tuesday...? No, no it was definitely a Saturday. 

Hearing whatever the annoying sound was, he lay in bed with a groan, tossing his arm over his eyes in a dramatic fashion, hoping to put anyone off trying for a second attempt to get him up and moving. It wasn’t going to happen. Not today. Not this early-, he couldn’t breathe. The icy water felt like it was filling his lungs as it was filling his sheets and elicited a shriek of horror and shock. 

Edward was out of bed. 

Soaking and shivering he looked from his bed to the culprit holding the bucket now void of ice and water. “How DAR-,”

“Ah Ah Ah. Remember your temper. We wouldn’t want you getting talked to by the counselor again because you had a fit, do we?” Todd was more than just a bit of a prick to his boyfriend but he knew just how to make Edward put up with it. “Such a nasty time last time, they almost kicked you out. You cried for weeks. Wouldn’t eat. Wouldn’t sleep.” He crooned the words. 

Edward shifted, unhappy and shivering as he stared at the other. He was angry. More than angry! He was tired and angry but...he didn’t want to lose out. He was there on scholarships and if he got kicked out he’d have to go back to his dad. He’d have to go back and hear how he was a failure. How he couldn’t make it. How even Gotham Community was too hard for a cheater and a liar like him. The words started to circle in his head, repeating themselves and drilling in the ‘truth’ of the ‘facts’ regardless how incorrect those where. 

Todd watched with a smirk, knowing what he’d set off but never admitting it. He waited. Waited for the words and the memories to sink in mixed with fear like he knew they would before gently placing the large bucket down and stepping forward towards his shaking toy. “Come here, Eddie,” he crooned. “Come here. You’ll be fine. All you have to do is stay calm and everything is going to be alright. Okay?”

It took a solid minute before Edward was able to nod, but he was only agreeing to the sentiment. He knew he could do that. He could behave and then he would be allowed to stay. Just like Todd was so fond of telling him. ...but that didn’t help the way the words kept circling and drilling in. 

“Good. Good. Now, how about you clean up this mess before it makes a bigger mess and I’ll meet you at the car. Give you five minutes. You should be fine.” With that he was already stepping back, making Edward clean up the mess he’d made and giving Edward barely enough time to pull out an outfit. “Five minutes, Eddie and I’ll meet you at the car.” And with those departing words he slipped from the bedroom.


End file.
